Collection and isolation of a person's own cells and the reintroduction of the isolated cells can have beneficial therapeutic results. For example, platelet-rich-plasma (PRP), stem cells and fat can be collected from a patient, isolated and then returned to the patient's own body to provide beneficial therapeutic results.
In order to obtain samples of stem cells or PRP, a sample of whole blood is collected from the patient. Similarly, to obtain fat for use in the patient, a fat grafting procedure transfers fat from areas where the patient has excess fat, such as the outer thigh, abdomen, or buttocks and injects it into areas that may be lacking volume, i.e. volume deficient areas.
Typical difficulties with these types of processes include cell necrosis. Thus, it is important to have processes that both collect and isolate the desired cells and also mitigates that risk that the cells that have been isolated die or are damaged, i.e. cell necrosis.
As disclosed and taught in the following materials, a variety of methods and apparatus/systems may be used in the isolation of stem cells, platelets and fat cells.